so now i got a custom rig, how do i know when its safe to drive to texas? what do you guys do with stuff you have modified all to beat h3ll? drive it 20 miles from home? or go roadtrippin? i would hate to have my car stranded hundreds of miles away, with some efi problem, or a head gasket i cant change, because theres no room between the frame rails.

how many test miles is acceptable? 500, 1000, 5000?

When I first put my turbowagon together, I drove it from WA to TX less than 2 weeks later.. ran into a few cooling issues while climbing a 12000 ft pass on CO.. but sometimes you just have to go for it.. just remember to gather some USMB member phone numbers before you go

.. just remember to gather some USMB member phone numbers before you go

That's a great idea. I know when ppl have done this I called to make sure they were okay. We are here to help

It all boils down to one word: confidence. When I bought my Brat in Oregon, I asked Richie if it would make it back to Alaska without any problems. There was no hesitation - YES. I jumped in and drove straight here, 2,400 miles. This winter, in -30 degrees, I drove it to and from Fairbanks (about 700 miles round trip) with no hesitation. It started at -50 degrees without even being plugged in. Being stranded here, where a person could be 50 miles from civilization and not see a vehicle go by for 3 or 4 hours, is a reality. It's not something to fear. Just prepare for it. What diffeence is thee if you break down 5 miles from home or 500? If you can't fix it, it'll have to be towed. Just prepare for the inevitable and things will work out.

never is the answer

I drove my car for at least 4 months in "all" kinds of driving, then on my way to the midwest meet, the trans acted up, go figure